Intelligent control faucet

ABSTRACT

An intelligent control faucet includes a faucet body with a manual operation valve, an intelligent control module, a water outflow tube, a cold water inflow tube, a hot water inflow tube, and a magnetic induction device. The water outflow tube, the cold water inflow tube and the hot water inflow tube are connected to the manual operation valve. The intelligent control module is connected in series with the water outflow tube. The magnetic induction device is installed on the water outflow tube and connected through a feeder cable or directly to the intelligent control module. Water flow can be established or cut off through pulling the water inflow tube so that the use is made easy.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a faucet, and more particularly to an intelligent control faucet.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In general, a conventional countertop faucet is designed according to the appearance of the faucet and is generally mechanically operated with hands. The increasing emergence of electronic detective faucets in the market makes the automatic faucets a consequential choice. An automatic faucet detects the presence of a human body and acquires a signal that is transmitted subsequently to a control module so as to have power supplied from a power supply to a water supply system. The water supply system is thus enabled to control switching of water to supply water to the user. Such a conventional automatic faucet, including pull-out faucets, is generally controlled with a control module that acquires an opening/closing signal through an infrared sensor. Due to being of a unique feature, the conventional pull-out faucet, although generally arranged at a site around which use of water is necessary, allows a sprayer thereof to be pulled out in a condition of water being discharged to flush a distant site. Currently, no proposal has been made in this art for achieving the control of opening/closing the water supply through the movement of pulling out the sprayer. It is thus desired to provide a solution that achieves such a way of control.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an intelligent control faucet that is used conveniently.

In order to achieve the aforesaid object, the intelligent control faucet comprises a faucet body with a manual operation valve, an intelligent control module, a water outflow tube, a cold water inflow tube, a hot water inflow tube, and a sprayer that is connected to the water outflow tube through a pull-out hose. The water outflow tube, the cold water inflow tube and the hot water inflow tube are connected to the manual operation valve that is mounted inside the faucet body. The intelligent control module is connected in series with the water outflow tube. The intelligent control faucet further comprises a magnetic induction device. The magnetic induction device is installed on the water outflow tube and connected through a feeder cable or directly to the intelligent control module.

Preferably, the intelligent control faucet further comprises an infrared sensor. The infrared sensor comprises a sensing window mounted to a front side of the faucet body and a sensor chip. The sensing window has a lower end coupled to a rubber sealing block and a waterproof connector to connect through a feeder cable to the intelligent control module. The sensor chip is mounted through a rubber block at a location behind the sensing window. The infrared sensor is mounted to the faucet body that is mounted on a countertop, and is connected, through a feeder cable or directly, to the intelligent control module.

Preferably, the magnetic induction device comprises a Hall element and a magnetic activation mechanism that functions to activate the Hall element. The Hall element is mounted in the faucet body to face a moving path of the magnetic activation mechanism and is connected through a feeder cable or directly to the intelligent control module.

Preferably, the magnetic activation mechanism is mounted to the pull-out hose. The magnetic activation mechanism controls activation/deactivation of the Hall element to control communication between the water outflow tube and the pull-out hose.

Preferably, the magnetic activation mechanism is a magnetic ring mounted on the pull-out hose.

Preferably, the pull-out hose comprises a first hose and a second hose. The magnetic activation mechanism is mounted between the first hose and the second hose. The first hose has a connection end connected with a secondary metallic fitting. The second hose has a connection end connected with a primary metallic fitting. The two metallic fittings collectively form a sealed coupling therebetween through inter-fitting between the primary and secondary fittings. The secondary metallic fitting is adapted to receive the magnetic ring to fit thereto. When the pull-out hose retracts back to a home position inside the faucet body, the magnetic ring is located in a spatial range that deactivates the Hall element.

Preferably, protection sleeves are provided outside the secondary metallic fitting, the primary metallic fitting, and the magnetic ring, respectively.

With such a solution, the present invention comprises a magnetic induction device mounted to a water outflow tube and is connected through a feeder cable or directly to an intelligent control module to transmit a control signal to the intelligent control module for establishing or cutting of a water flow through the faucet. Such an arrangement of establishing or cutting of a water flow through pulling the water inflow tube makes the use easy. Further, the Hall element has the characteristics of small size, fast response, and no wear.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating an opening operation of a faucet handle of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating a water discharging condition of the present invention activated through infrared detection;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating a water shut-down condition of the present invention activated through infrared detection;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating a water discharging condition of the present invention activated through pulling a sprayer out;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view illustrating disabling of the detection through closing of a faucet handle;

FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating disabling of sprayer-pulling activated water discharging through closing of the handle;

FIG. 8 is a schematic view illustrating shutting down water through retraction of the sprayer back to a home position and the faucet handle opened;

FIG. 9 is an exploded view illustrating a detection module of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of a pull-out hose according to the present invention;

FIG. 11 is another exploded view of the pull-out hose of the present invention; and

FIG. 12 is an exploded view showing a first example of a magnetic induction device according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 14, the present invention discloses an intelligent control faucet, which comprises a faucet body 1 with a manual operation valve, an intelligent control module 3, a water outflow tube 4, a cold water inflow tube 5, a hot water inflow tube 6, and a magnetic induction device 7.

The intelligent control faucet further comprises a sprayer 9 that is connected to the water outflow tube 4 through a pull-out hose 8. The water outflow tube 4, the cold water inflow tube 5 and the hot water inflow tube 6 are connected to the manual operation valve that is mounted inside the faucet body 1. The intelligent control module 3 is connected in series with the water outflow tube. The intelligent control faucet further comprises an infrared sensor 2.

As shown in FIG. 9, the infrared sensor 2 is mounted to the faucet body 1 that is mounted on a countertop and is connected, through a feeder cable or directly, to the intelligent control module 3. The infrared sensor 2 comprises a sensing window 21 mounted to a front side of the faucet body 1 and a sensor chip 22. The sensing window 21 has a lower end coupled to a rubber sealing block 23 and a waterproof connector 24 to connect through a feeder cable to the intelligent control module 3. The sensor chip 22 is mounted through a rubber block 25 at a location behind the sensing window 21. The sensor chip 22 may be disposed inside the intelligent control module 3.

The intelligent control module 3 is generally arranged at a location below for example a basin and is generally composed of an electromagnetic valve and a cell box to control communication between the water outflow tube 4 and the pull-out hose 8. The pull-out hose 8 has a front end coupled to the sprayer 9. The manual operation valve is operated with a faucet handle 12.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 12, the magnetic induction device 7 comprises a Hall element 71 and a magnetic activation mechanism 72 that functions to activate the Hall element. The Hall element 71 is mounted in the faucet body 1 at the side facing a moving path of the magnetic activation mechanism 72 and is connected through a feeder cable or directly to the intelligent control module 3. The magnetic activation mechanism 72 is mounted to the pull-out hose 8, and the magnetic activation mechanism 72 controls activation/deactivation of the Hall element 71 to control the communication between the water outflow tube 4 and the pull-out hose 8.

As shown in FIG. 10, the pull-out hose 8 comprises a first hose 81 and a second hose 82. A first example of the magnetic activation mechanism 72 comprises a magnetic ring 721 that is mounted between the first hose 81 and the second hose 82. The first hose 81 has a connection end to which a secondary metallic fitting 812 is mounted through a steel sleeve 811 and the second hose 82 has a connection end to which a primary metallic fitting 822 is mounted through a steel sleeve 821, whereby the two metallic fittings collectively form a sealed coupling therebetween through inter-fitting between the primary and secondary fittings. The secondary metallic fitting 812 comprises a neck 813 formed thereon to receive the magnetic ring 721 to fit thereto. When the pull-out hose 8 retracts back to a home position inside the faucet body 1, the magnetic ring 721 is located in a spatial range that deactivates the operation of the Hall element 71. To maintain integrity of the entire pull-out hose 8, protection sleeves 83 are provided outside the secondary metallic fitting 812, the primary metallic fitting 822 and the magnetic ring 721, respectively.

The operation of the present invention is as follows:

As shown in FIG. 1, the faucet handle 12 is in a closed position, wherein water flow through the faucet is in a shut-down condition.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the faucet handle 12 is opened and the infrared sensor 2 and the magnetic induction device 7 are both not put into an operation and thus in a water shut-down condition.

As shown in FIG. 3, the infrared sensor 2 is activated and water is discharged through the sprayer 9. When a predetermined lapse of time reaches, the faucet 1 automatically shuts down the water flow.

As shown in FIG. 4, the faucet handle 12 is opened and with the sprayer 9 in a condition of discharging water, the infrared sensor 2 is activated to have the sprayer 9 shut down the water flow or the handle 12 is closed to have the sprayer 9 shut down the water flow.

As shown in FIG. 5, the faucet handle 12 is opened (with the infrared sensor 2 being in a water shut-down condition) and the sprayer 9 is pulled down so as to allow the pull-out hose 8 to extend out of the faucet body 1, whereby the movement of the pull-out hose 8 causes the magnetic activation mechanism 72 to move upward and away from the Hall element 71 so that the Hall element 71 transmits an activation signal to the intelligent control module 3 (where the sprayer 9 maintains in a condition of discharging water when the sprayer is pulled down in a condition when the sprayer 9 is discharging water) and thus water is discharging from the sprayer 9. Under this condition, the infrared sensor 2 of the faucet body 1 is in a disabled condition. When a predetermined lapse of time reaches, the sprayer 9 shuts down the water flow and the infrared sensor 2 restores the sensing faction thereof. When it is necessary to have water discharged from the sprayer 9, the infrared sensor 2 may be activated (where the function of the infrared sensor 2 for enabling water discharging may be restored back to the normal condition when a predetermined lapse of time is reached after water discharging enabled through pulling out is).

The following conditions should also be noted:

As shown in FIG. 6, when the faucet is in a sensing condition, if the faucet handle 12 is closed, no water discharging is enabled through sensing.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the faucet is in a pull-out detection condition, if the faucet handle 12 is closed, no water discharging is enabled through detection.

As shown in FIG. 8, in a condition when the faucet handle 12 is opened and water discharging activated through pulling out is enabled, when the sprayer 9 is set back to the home position, the faucet shuts down the water flow due to the operation of the magnetic induction device 7.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the faucet is in a condition of water discharging activated through sensing or water discharging activated through pulling out, closing the faucet handle 12 shuts down the water flow.

An essential gist of the present invention is to control water discharging through a faucet with a magnetic induction device 7.

Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An intelligent control faucet, comprising a faucet body with a manual operation valve, an intelligent control module, a water outflow tube, a cold water inflow tube, a hot water inflow tube and a sprayer that is connected to the water outflow tube through a pull-out hose; the water outflow tube, the cold water inflow tube and the hot water inflow tube being connected to the manual operation valve that is mounted inside the faucet body; the intelligent control module being connected in series with the water outflow tube; characterized in that: the intelligent control faucet further comprises a magnetic induction device, the magnetic induction device is installed on the water outflow tube and connected through a feeder cable or directly to the intelligent control module.
 2. The intelligent control faucet as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an infrared sensor, the infrared sensor comprising a sensing window mounted to a front side of the faucet body and a sensor chip, the sensing window having a lower end coupled to a rubber sealing block and a waterproof connector to connect through a feeder cable to the intelligent control module, the sensor chip being mounted through a rubber block at a location behind the sensing window, the infrared sensor being mounted to the faucet body that is mounted on a countertop and being connected, through a feeder cable or directly, to the intelligent control module.
 3. The intelligent control faucet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the magnetic induction device comprises a Hall element and a magnetic activation mechanism that functions to activate the Hall element, and the Hall element is mounted in the faucet body to face a moving path of the magnetic activation mechanism and is connected through a feeder cable or directly to the intelligent control module.
 4. The intelligent control faucet as claimed in claim 3, wherein the magnetic activation mechanism is mounted to the pull-out hose, and the magnetic activation mechanism controls activation/deactivation of the Hall element to control communication between the water outflow tube and the pull-out hose.
 5. The intelligent control faucet as claimed in claim 4, wherein the magnetic activation mechanism is a magnetic ring mounted on the pull-out hose.
 6. The intelligent control faucet as claimed in claim 5, wherein the pull-out hose comprises a first hose and a second hose, the magnetic activation mechanism is mounted between the first hose and the second hose, the first hose has a connection end connected with a secondary metallic fitting, the second hose has a connection end connected with a primary metallic fitting, the two metallic fittings collectively form a sealed coupling therebetween through inter-fitting between the primary and secondary fittings, the secondary metallic fitting is adapted to receive the magnetic ring to fit thereto, when the pull-out hose retracts back to a home position inside the faucet body, the magnetic ring is located in a spatial range that deactivates the Hall element.
 7. The intelligent control faucet as claimed in claim 6, wherein protection sleeves are provided outside the secondary metallic fitting, the primary metallic fitting, and the magnetic ring, respectively. 